Management round table: Olympics countdown - how prepared are you?
Friday, May 25, 2012
Getting ready to welcome millions of visitors to the Olympic Games is an exciting, but daunting, prospect for many providers based in the capital and other hot spots. Meticulous forward planning and careful thought are needed to meet every eventuality, say three nursery managers who are working hard to avoid disruption
Manager’s dilemma: As a London-based nursery we have been gearing up for the Olympics for some time but still feel a little anxious about how our service may be disrupted. We wondered what other nurseries were doing to ensure that everything runs smoothly?
Rowena Burman – Wellgate Children’s Centre Nursery (LEYF)
‘Our nursery is based in Havering, right on the A12 and A13 which are the main roads to the Olympic Stadium, and all our local trains go through the international hub of Stratford. We are expecting organised chaos!
We have spoken to all our parents about how they will manage their journeys to the nursery and in to work, and we’ve encouraged them to speak to their managers about the possibility of working from home. We are well organised in terms of knowing how many children we will be expecting and the staffing levels we will need.
We have done our homework about the times when transport will be the busiest by studying websites such as Transport for London.
There are two of us here who can walk home in around an hour but other staff members who have a journey into the nursery are arranging lifts for each other wherever possible. There will also be the facility for them to stay at the nursery if they can’t get home.
We are currently stockpiling paper towels and similar items because there will be no daytime deliveries during the games. We have also had to look at our kitchen situation. Meals are prepared off-site by a LEYF chef based at another nursery, and we are deciding how we can prepare meals ourselves or use an agency chef.
As part of the local community we are running a torch relay on the 22 July and we are slowly ramping up the excitement for the children as the games get closer. It is a fantastic opportunity to introduce lots of activities that scaffold their learning.’
Paola Testoni – Kiddi Caru International
‘Because we are very close to Earls Court Two where there will be a lot of major events, including the volley ball tournament, and we have been briefed by the organisers about what is going to happen.
We share this area with Scotland Yard and there will be a lot of issues to do with security. There will be check points and there will be restrictions for drivers. Our regional managers have worked with us to advise parents and staff who drive that they need to apply for permits.
Our meeting with Earls Court highlighted the issues that as businesses we all share. A major concern is how staff outside the borough will get into work. We have looked at all the public transport implications and staff are being encouraged to make the effort to come in earlier. We’re talking about 40,000 people coming into the venue every day, so they will have to find ways of avoiding the peak times. It will mean extra hours for staff, but we are going to give them breakfast in the morning and we are looking at paying for extra hours. It will be a long day for them but they have to be here to maintain ratios!
We have been assured that extra buses and tubes are being laid on. Our nearest underground is West Brompton – which is closest to Earls Court – although visitors are being advised to use Earls Court instead.
Deliveries have been restricted to between midnight and 5am which are no good for us. So we are pre-ordering and stockpiling. We have an extra freezer and we have a budget for fresh produce which we can buy in local markets.
With Scotland Yard next door, security is very tight and we are being given an emergency procedure. It’s important to be prepared for anything.
I have to say that the organisers have been excellent and have really helped us to think about everything in advance. It is a lovely time – especially for the children – and we are going to make the most of it.
Karen Povey – Busy Bees – London ExCel
‘We are located right by the ExCeL Centre and we are preparing to have 70,000 people walking past the nursery each day. We are asking staff to take on longer hours and preparing for every eventuality.
It is difficult to anticipate the extent to which transport will be disrupted, so we are preparing to give children evening meals and beds, if needed.
Parents will not be able to park in the nursery car park as the local roads will be closed, and will have to park in the multi-storey car park at Royal Victoria Docks instead. There will be the facility for emergency vehicles to come in and out of the immediate area.
Staff were also asked not to book annual leave during the Olympics as we need everyone on site during that time. We will be opening earlier and closing later – extending our hours from 6.30am – 7.30pm. It is very important that we have all staff in. We would rather be in the situation of sending people home rather than falling under ratio. Staff are happy with this and will be able to take days off at a later date.
Security is very tight and there is the worry that there will be bomb scares and we will have to be ready to evacuate the nursery. We have got bags filled with essential supplies ready for this eventuality.
Communication has been key to preparing for the games; we have talked at length to parents and keeping everyone up to date with information on newsletters.
Busy Bees has its own Olympic torch and children are bringing in their bikes and scooters for a series of fun days. Everyone is very excited.
Information
- The National Day Nursery Association (NDNA) has launched a factsheet to help nursery managers make sure they are prepared for the Olympic Games, after concerns were raised by members about the impact the Games could have on early years and childcare provision.
The factsheet focuses on challenges nurseries may face such as transport issues, reduced staff ratios or if technology fails.
